2006 CADILLAC STS steering

Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here is why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject
to the same laws of physics when driving on curves.
The traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its path when
you turn the front wheels. If there is no traction, inertia
will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If
you have ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you
will understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle
at which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you
are in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.
Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly accelerate. Both control
systems — steering and acceleration — have to do
their work where the tires meet the road. Adding the
sudden acceleration can demand too much of those
places. You can lose control. SeeTraction Control
System (TCS) on page 4-9andStabiliTrak
®System
on page 4-11.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on
the accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you
want it to go, and slow down.Since your vehicle is equipped with StabiliTrak
®,
the system may be active. SeeDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 3-79andStabiliTrak
®System on
page 4-11.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds
are based on good weather and road conditions. Under
less favorable conditions you will want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach
a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your
front wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
To help you steer in the direction you want to go, during
certain sharp or sudden cornering maneuvers, gear
selection is controlled. This will maximize the available
drive wheel torque and minimize the transmission
response time and shift activity. During this kind of
maneuver, the transmission shifts automatically
as vehicle speed changes.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories and Modications
on page 5-3.
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Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and
nd a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly
pulls out from nowhere, or a child darts out from
between parked cars and stops right in front of you.
You can avoid these problems by braking — if you can
stop in time. But sometimes you cannot; there is not
room. That is the time for evasive action — steering
around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes.
SeeBraking on page 4-6. It is better to remove as much
speed as you can from a possible collision. Then
steer around the problem, to the left or right depending
on the space available.An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel
at the recommended 9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can
turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and
just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving
at all times and wear safety belts properly.
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Off-Road Recovery
You may nd that your right wheels have dropped
off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while you
are driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way,
steer so that your vehicle straddles the edge of
the pavement. You can turn the steering wheel up
to one-quarter turn until the right front tire contacts
the pavement edge. Then turn your steering wheel
to go straight down the roadway.
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then
goes back into the right lane again. A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane
highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the
passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming
traffic for several seconds. A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger
can suddenly put the passing driver face to face with the
worst of all traffic accidents — the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
Drive ahead. Look down the road, to the sides and
to crossroads for situations that might affect your
passing patterns. If you have any doubt whatsoever
about making a successful pass, wait for a
better time.
Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings and
lines. If you can see a sign up ahead that might
indicate a turn or an intersection, delay your pass.
A broken center line usually indicates it is all
right to pass, providing the road ahead is clear.
Never cross a solid line on your side of the lane or
a double solid line, even if the road seems empty
of approaching traffic.
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Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems — brakes,
steering, and acceleration — do not have enough
friction where the tires meet the road to do what the
driver has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to
steer and constantly seek an escape route or area
of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not overdriving
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
are not rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much
throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
Remember: Any traction control system helps avoid only
the acceleration skid. If your traction control system is
off, then an acceleration skid is also best handled
by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs.
With StabiliTrak®, you may see the STABILITY SYS
ACTIVE message on the Driver Information Center.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-79.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety,
you will want to slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
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While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try your
best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed by shifting to a lower
gear. Any sudden changes could cause the tires to
slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery until
your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues — such as enough water, ice, or packed snow on
the road to make a mirrored surface — and slow down
when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
Competitive Driving
See your warranty book before using your vehicle for
competitive driving.
Notice:If you use your vehicle for racing or other
competitive driving, the engine may use more
oil than it would with normal use. Low oil levels can
damage the engine. Be sure to check the oil level
often during racing or other competitive driving
and keep the level at or near the upper mark that
shows the proper operating range on the engine oil
dipstick. For information on how to add oil, see
Engine Oil on page 5-18.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to be
impaired — by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Do not drink and drive.
Adjust the inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare
from headlamps behind you.
Since you cannot see as well, you may need to
slow down and keep more space between you
and other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads.
Your vehicle’s headlamps can light up only so much
road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
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Your Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) improves your
vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop on
a slippery road. Even though you have ABS, you will
want to begin stopping sooner than you would on
dry pavement. SeeAnti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
on page 4-7.
Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be ne
until you hit a spot that is covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun cannot reach, such as
around clumps of trees, behind buildings, or under
bridges. Sometimes the surface of a curve or an
overpass may remain icy when the surrounding
roads are clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead of
you, brake before you are on it. Try not to brake
while you are actually on the ice, and avoid sudden
steering maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in
a serious situation. You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near
help and you can hike through the snow. Here are some
things to do to summon help and keep yourself and
your passengers safe:
Turn on your hazard ashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you have been stopped by the snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you do not have blankets or extra clothing, make
body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags,
rags, oor mats — anything you can wrap around
yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
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Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That
will clear the area around your front wheels. You should
turn your traction control system off. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS) on page 4-9. Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward gear,
spinning the wheels as little as possible. Release
the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly
on the accelerator pedal when the transmission is
in gear. By slowly spinning your wheels in the forward
and reverse directions, you will cause a rocking
motion that may free your vehicle. If that does not get
you out after a few tries, you may need to be towed
out. If you do need to be towed out, seeTowing Your
Vehicle on page 4-37.
Loading Your Vehicle
It is very important to know how much weight your
vehicle can carry. This weight is called the vehicle
capacity weight and includes the weight of all occupants,
cargo, and all nonfactory-installed options. Two labels
on your vehicle show how much weight it may properly
carry, the Tire and Loading Information label and the
Certication label.
{CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), or either
the maximum front or rear Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR). If you do, parts on your
vehicle can break, and it can change the way
your vehicle handles. These could cause you
to lose control and crash. Also, overloading
can shorten the life of your vehicle.
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Dolly Towing (Rear-Wheel-Drive
Vehicles) (STS Only)
Notice:Dolly towing or dinghy towing your vehicle
may cause damage because of reduced ground
clearance. Always tow your vehicle using the dolly
towing or dinghy towing procedure listed in this
section or put your vehicle on a atbed truck.
If your vehicle is a rear-wheel drive, it can be towed
using a dolly.To tow your vehicle using a dolly, follow these steps:
1. Put the rear wheels on the dolly.
2. Put the vehicle in PARK (P).
3. Set the parking brake and then remove the key.
4. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead
position with a clamping device designed for towing.
5. Release the parking brake.
Dolly Towing (STS-V)
Notice:Dolly towing or dinghy towing your
vehicle may cause damage because of reduced
ground clearance. Always put your vehicle on
a atbed truck.
If you have an STS-V, it can only be towed on a
at-bed trailer.
Dolly Towing (All-Wheel-Drive Vehicles)
Notice:Towing an all-wheel-drive vehicle with all
four wheels on the ground, or even with only two of
its wheels on the ground, will damage drivetrain
components. Do not tow an all-wheel-drive vehicle if
any of its wheels will be on the ground.
If you have an All-Wheel Drive (AWD) vehicle, it can
only be towed on a at-bed trailer.
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